Month: January 2018

I was raised in Syracuse on a small hobby farm. December 25th, 1984 I awoke to a dog training book as my Christmas present. Inside was a letter from Santa Clause informing me of a Brittney Spaniel named Jake that was in the garage waiting for me. This started my love for dogs. Over the next 20 years I raised Brittney’s and Labrador retrievers.

When my wife Rhonda and I had kids, my first child Makynzee was sick and in and out of the hospital for the first four years of her life. After many doctor visits we found out that she was allergic to practically everything, so we soon got rid of our animals including my dogs.

We met Harley, an F1b Golden doodle, in April 2012 and our family fell in love. Golden doodles are a mix of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle and are supposed to be “hypoallergenic and non-shedding”. All I know is Harley does not shed and Makynzee is not allergic to her. She is very trainable and very smart.

Since getting Harley we have bought another Golden doodle and once a year we breed them. I know there will be some people reading this that will say that Golden doodles are mutts and I should not breed them. However, I have sold pups to veterans suffering from PTSD who say they are calmer than they have been in years when they are with these pups. I have also sold to people suffering from cancer or some suffering from mental issues who say these dogs help them through their most trying times of their lives.

My family and I love our Golden doodles. We take them to baseball games, camping, and fishing, anywhere we go they can go. I believe every kid deserves two things; a dog and a parent who will let them have one.

In order to recognize outstanding students and athletes in Syracuse, the Community and Economic Development Department have developed the Syracuse City Chamber of Commerce Award for Excellence. This monthly award recognizes the outstanding performance of male and female students who excel in athletics, arts and/or academics. The individuals selected for this award will be identified by Syracuse City in partnership with representatives from local elementary, junior high, and high schools.

Jackson Lucas

Buffalo Point Elementary

Jackson is very kind. He is honest and cares about doing the right thing. Jackson works hard in class and strives to do his best. Jackson works hard to make sure he never has missing assignments. He is on time to class, gets along with others and is very respectful.

Jackson is a great example of what can be accomplished with hard work and dedication. Jackson is a great student and excels at everything he puts his mind to. Jackson is truly an amazing young man!

~ Emily Manscill 6th Grade Teacher Buffalo Point Elementary

Maisie Merino

Buffalo Point Elementary

Maisie is an outstanding student in many ways. She is a hard worker and always does her personal best with whatever she is working on. If she doesn’t understand something she will persevere until she does. One of my favorite things about Maisie is how kind and caring she is. She also notices when another student needs help and will offer to help them out. She never gets frustrated when she is helping someone, but is very patient. Maisie is also a fantastic soccer player and is able to balance her soccer practices with her schoolwork. I never see Maisie without a smile on her face. She is a friend to everyone. She is truly an outstanding student. Maisie is unique in that if she is struggling with something she doesn’t give up. For example, sometimes she has a hard time understanding our new way of doing math. Instead of giving up, she is determined to ask questions and get help until she has a clear understanding of the concept. Another unique attribute about Maisie is the fact that I have never heard her say a mean comment about anyone. Maisie is involved in soccer. She is an excellent player and plays on a comp team. Maisie also received the Student of the Month award in September at Buffalo Point Elementary for being an outstanding student. Maisie has received excellent grades on her report cards.

Imagine the wonder John C. Fremont and Kit Carson experienced in the 1840’s when they explored and mapped much of the West which assisted in the massive immigration into the now Western United States. When Mormon Settlers came to Northern Utah, they weren’t the first to discover and inhabit Antelope Island and its vast surroundings. John C. Fremont had discovered and mapped the island when he and his group of explorers drifted into the Great Salt Lake from the Weber River. Their boat had a leak and they found land on Fremont Island. Kit Carson was Fremont’s companion and he even carved a cross in a rock at the highest point of Fremont Island. Two years later Fremont and Carson rode horses across the shallows to find several herds of antelope on another island. Likely hungry from eating light traveling rations, they were grateful for the bounty they experienced after eating some of them; and in honor of the food they had received they named it Antelope Island.

It is fascinating to me to read about these explorer’s work in Utah. I grew up in Las Vegas, with names like Fremont Street and Carson City, much of our history lessons were tied to these two men. I enjoyed learning about their contribution to Utah’s history as well.

Fremont never mentioned a full time resident of Antelope Island but later in 1847, Mormon Settlers met a trapper named Daddy Stump living on the island. He even helped some of the new settlers to drive cattle onto the island in 1848. In the winter of 1855-56, Stump went missing and was never seen again, presumed dead. The Garr brothers established a ranch on the island and their home was continually lived in until 1981. It was the oldest continually lived in home in Utah up until that point. In 1981 the island was named a State Park.

Today, Syracuse City stands as the gateway to this historic island that is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs. It sits at about 4,200 feet above sea level and the highest point of the mountain is 6,596 feet. Antelope Island is the largest island on the Great Salt Lake at about 15 miles long and 5 miles wide. The island is home to many species of animals–most famously, the Bison, which were brought there in 1893. What started as 12 animals is now 550-700 animals. There are also pronghorn antelope which are native to the island and its namesake. The island also houses mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, badgers and bobcats as well as birds of prey.

The Garr Ranch

Fielding Garr was sent by the Mormon Church to live on Antelope Island and manage the church’s cattle and sheep herds. I cannot imagine being sent to this foreign island, driving sheep and cattle across the shallows of the Great Salt Lake to establish a ranch. Let alone without my wife, not to mention that Fielding had nine children. He built near the Garr Springs which is the strongest of the 40 known springs on the island. The simple Adobe home he built still stands and is the oldest house in Utah that still stands on its original foundation. There are several fun activities that are held at the ranch each year, including a balloon festival, bird watching and even experiencing the demonstrations of what ranch life would have been like in Fielding’s time.

Migratory Birds

The Great Salt Lake is a unique and highly valued lake for the entire western United States. It ranges from 5 to 27% salinity, in comparison the Dead Sea is around 33.7% salinity. The salt comes from two sources. There are 3 major rivers, several minor streams and island fresh water springs that feed the lake but there is not any outlet for the lake. This means the only way water leaves is due to evaporation. This leaves behind the minerals and increases the salinity. However, the largest contributor to the lake’s minerals is the salt that was left behind from the ancient Lake Bonneville.

Though the only life forms that can survive the high salt level are brine shrimp, brine flies and algae, 75% of the wetlands in Utah surround The Great Salt Lake, which makes it a crucial piece of the ecological puzzle. Millions of migratory birds make this area home due to the brine flies which serve as a major food source.

Recreation

Many opportunities are available on the island. Some of the more popular are trails for hiking, biking (Non-motorized only) and horseback riding. Trail running is also popular. Camping is available in the park’s campgrounds: Bridger Bay, White Rock Bay, and Ladyfinger. Guide services are also available for horseback riding and kayaking. It is also a great place to take majestic photography.

We had an interesting Antelope Island experience with some of the boys that I had the opportunity to work with as a Scout Master. We set up camp on the island and were enjoying some mountain biking with the boys. They had to bike a certain distance for a merit badge requirement. The vehicles followed close behind to make sure they were safe and to pick up any boys that couldn’t make it any further. One of the young men was riding out in front of the group speeding down a hill. Unbeknownst to him, a buffalo was running from behind him at an angle and was apparently running straight at him. We all watched in horror as this buffalo seemed intent in plowing this young man over. We honked, yelled and screamed to no avail. The boy didn’t even know it was coming for him but everyone else could see it. Miraculously, the buffalo charged about two feet in front of the speeding bicycle. Of course, this startled the young man, but luckily he was able to keep control of his bike and eventually stop. His heart was pounding out of his chest when we pulled up to him. It is a memory that we will always remember and one of warning for those who would try to interfere with the buffalo at Antelope Island–they can be dangerous.

We appreciate our citizens helping the City be aware of issues that need to be addressed throughout the city such as road repairs, street light/sign repair, park maintenance, water problems (culinary & secondary), garbage can pickup, code ordinance enforcement, and even employee feedback. The City website is a great tool for providing us with notifications. The Fix-it Request link can be found on our homepage at the top left hand side under Popular Pages.

Passport application processing services are offered at City Hall between 9 am- 4 pm, processing takes approximately 20-30 minutes per application. Walk-ins are served in the order of arrival, multiple applications and/or photos wait times may be longer. All required forms, photos, and payment must be completed prior to 4 pm to be accepted the same day. Applications can be found on the www.travel.state.gov website. Application fees must be paid with a Check or Money Order made payable to the U.S. Department of State. www.syracuseut.com/Passports.aspx

The City Council met in a business meeting December 12, 2017. Detailed council packets concerning further information about the presentations that were made to the council are available on the City’s website, www.syracuseut.com Following is major actions taken at the meeting:

December 12 Business Meeting:

• The Council adopted a resolution imposing the .1% Recreation, Arts, and Parks (RAP) tax approved by the voters at the November 7, 2017 Municipal General Election. The sales tax will be assessed starting in the spring of 2018 with revenues passed along to Syracuse City starting in June.

• The Council granted preliminary subdivision approval for the Stonefield Estates project, located at approximately 2650 Alison Way. The project is 7.03 acres in size, would be assigned the R-2 zoning, and would contain 15 building lots.

• The Council authorized a contract with Silver Spur Construction, LLC for the Ranchettes Improvement Project; the project includes work on 3300 West, 3400 West, 3385 West, 1850 South, 1950 South, 2050 South, and 2200 South. The scope of work includes replacement of existing concrete sewer with a PVC main; replacement of six-inch cast iron culinary water mains with new 10-inch and 8-inch C-900 mains; add additional fire hydrants for improved fire protection; install storm drain pipes, manholes, and inlets; replace ramps to comply with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards; and replace the full-width of the paved asphalt area. Construction will begin in late winter/early spring and will be completed by the end of 2018. The total project cost is $2,840,903.73.

• The Council authorized execution of a contract with J. Lyn Roberts & Sons, Inc. for the construction and management of the Centennial Park Splash Pad and Pavilions project. The contract includes a maximum project amount of $1.5 million and design work for the project will commence in early 2018.

• Finally, the Council adopted an ordinance amending the land use code of the City pertaining to requests for reasonable accommodations. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act Amendments (FHAA), those with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations from government zoning regulations if they can demonstrate certain conditions and the proposed ordinance will offer compliance with both the ADA and FHAA

Just a reminder that during the months of December through March, the green waste cans may be used for regular household waste. The green waste program will begin again starting April 1, 2018. For more information, contact the utility department at 801-825-1477, option 2.

The City Council met in a business meeting on December 12, 2017. Detailed Council packets containing further information about the presentations that were made to the Council are available on the City’s website, www.syracuseut.com. following is a summary of major actions taken at the meeting:

On September 27, 2017, Wes was dispatched to several vehicle burglaries that occurred in our city. As he was handling these incidents, a citizen called in a suspicious circumstance of two males at a residence that did not belong there and appeared to be removing property from the residence. Wes responded to the area and was able to apprehend one of the subjects. During this incident, the property was recovered and returned to some of the victims of the prior vehicle burglaries that he had responded to earlier that morning. Other property was also recovered that involved citizens outside of our city.

During his investigation, Wes obtained information that led to the arrest and closure of approximately seven vehicle burglaries and one residential burglary. Wes also obtained information on the second subject who was not apprehended that day but was later arrested on a completely different matter a few days later. This subject would have never been identified or arrested if this information had not been obtained through his detailed investigation. Wes’s hard work and dedication to the citizens of the City is an example of the Police Department’s guiding principles of pride, accountability, cooperation, and excellence. Wes’s excellent work also earned him the September 2017 Employee of the Month Award.